Community resistance against coal plants in Andhra Pradesh

As of 2011, the installed capacity in the state of Andhra Pradesh is 15,800 MW. According to a survey by the Central Electricity Authority, the peak electrical demand in the state is expected to reach 28,215 MW by 2021. There are 117 proposed power plants in the state, geared to generate an additional 77,800 MW. Of this, 55,925 MW will be coal-based.

The rapid expansion of coal plant capacity across India is creating conflict between coal plant operators and local communities. Nowhere is this more evident than in the state of Andhra Pradesh, on the southeast coast of India. Here, construction initiatives by Nagarjuna Construction Company and Reliance Power have led to widespread resistance among local farmers and fisherman. This resistance has attracted attention by regional and national media outlets, and subsequent investigations have revealed a pattern of "crony capitalism" behind the coal boom.

July 2010: Resistance against Nagarjuna Construction Company Sompeta Thermal Plant
On July 14, 2010, police in Adhra Pradesh's Srikakulam district fired on farmers and fisherman protesting a 2,640 MW coal plant under construction by Nagarjuna Construction Company (NCC), killing two fishermen. In addition, 150 people were injured, including 45 policemen, during clashes between protesters and police. In the wake of the violence, police were deployed in about a dozen villages and banned assembly by more than five persons.

The two fishermen killed were G. Joga Rao of Lakkavaram and G. Krishnamurthy (60) of Palasapuram. A fact-finding team headed by former Orissa high court judge P. K. Mishra issued the following account of the shootings:
 * "The firing was suddenly done from inside a police van on the Sompeta-Baruva road, on either side of which the fields are located. The police van started moving towards Sompeta, while the man inside continued firing from a close range. The bullets hit the victims above waist level, except two who were hit on the thigh and the ankle. Two persons--G. Joga Rao of Lakkavaram and Krishnamurthy of Plasapuram--died on the spot and five others, including a cameraman of a local television channel, sustained bullet injuries."

One blogger described the "crony capitalism" behind the project as follows:
 * "[This project] is being developed by Nagarjuna Constructions and it has on its board of directors the esteemed presence of P. Abraham who served as Chairman of EAC (Hydroelectric) and who in the same position approved environmental clearances for various projects which he was himself promoting as a director. He also sits on the board of companies promoted by those who promote the Kakarapalli project. Some of the promoters are marquee names in the Telugu press by now, namely Karvy’s Mr MS Ramakrishna and Matrix Prasad. Mr. P. Abraham also graces the director position in GVK, Lanco group and half a dozen other groups. The world is indeed a small place now. You run into the same names every day. Long live crony capitalism."

February 2011: Resistance against Bhavanapadu Thermal Power Project
On February 28, 2011, in a set of clashes sparked by construction of Bhavanapadu Thermal Power Project by East Coast Energy, police in Srikakulam fired into villagers, killing two people and injuring nearly 25 others. The plant at the center of the violence was in the same district as the coal plant where two people were killed the previous July. The dead were identified as Sirapu Yerraiah (36) of Sirapuvani Peta and J. Nageswara Rao (35) of Akashalakkavaram. At least two of the injured were hit at close range with rubber bullets. Police used guns, teargas, and lathis against villagers, who used stones and sticks. After police threw smoke bombs in Vadditandra village, 50 houses were gutted. A police jeep was burned by villagers. One blogger wrote that the project was a product of "crony capitalism":
 * The 2640 MW Bhavanapadu coal-based thermal power plant near Kakarapalli is being developed by East Coast Energy Private Limited (ECEPL). If you look out for the promoters of this company in their website, you would find that Athena Energy Ventures Pvt Ltd (AEVPL), AIP Power Pvt Ltd (AIP) and PTC India Financial Services Ltd are among them. All these 3 promote another company Athena Demwe Power Limited for a hydro-electric project in Arunchal Pradesh. If you look at the board of directors of this company, you find a certain Mr. A. Balraj. Mr Balraj is a retired IAS officer and more interestingly, the chairman of the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC), the same which recommended the environmental clearance for the Kakarapalli!

The following details of this Environmental clearance are available on the website of Ministry of Environment & Forests.
 * Project No: No:J- 13011/36/ 2008-IA II(T)
 * Project Name: 2640 MW Bhavanapadu TPP near Kakrapalli Village
 * District:Sri Kakulam
 * Village:no
 * Company:M/s East Coast Energy Pvt. Ltd.
 * Application for EC received: 18/03/2008
 * EC Approved: 09/04/2009

Related SourceWatch articles

 * India and coal

External articles

 * "How Crony Capitalism Lead to the Kakarapalli tragedy," The Argumentatitve Indian, March 1, 2011
 * "Srikakulam battle far from over," NDTV, July 24, 2010